Release Week: Alchemystic, The Ramal Extraction, Half Life, and more

The last release week (though not quite the last releases) of the year brings a few interesting titles, but all in all a quiet week.

Alchemystic: A Spellmason Chronicle, Book 1 by Anton Strout, narrated by Linda Borg for Audible, Inc. — Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins. Out in the early fall in print/ebook from Ace: “Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City, even though her family is rich in real estate, including a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name… Lexi’s great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason – an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, the spell has awoken her ancestor’s most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis.”

The Ramal Extraction: Cutter’s Wars, Book 1 By Steve Perry, Narrated By R. C. Bray for Blackstone Audio –Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins — “At the close of the 24th century, a series of revolutions has caused the galaxy to descend into chaos. With the Galactic Union’s army stretched thin, mercenary units have arisen for those who have the need – and the means – to hire them. Captained by former Detached Guerrilla Forces Colonel R. A. “Rags” Cutter, the Cutter Force Initiative is one of the best. A specialized team consisting of both aliens and humans, the Cutters offer services ranging from combat training and protection to extraction and assassination – as long as the target deserves it and their employer makes good on payday.”

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK:

• Half Life By Hal Clement, Narrated By Nick Sullivan — Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
• Unnatural Acts: Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., Book 2 By Kevin J. Anderson, Narrated By Phil Gigante — Series: Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., Book 2 — Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins — book one in this series was just named one of The Guilded Earlobe’s 20 best of the year
• Mercury Rises: Mercury, Book 2 By Robert Kroese, Narrated By Kevin Stillwell — Series: Mercury, Book 2 — Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
• Charisma By Steven Barnes, Narrated By Barrie Buckner for Audible Inc. — Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins — Barnes’ 2002 novel: “It began well – an experiment in techniques to teach high-risk children – poor, minority, children – the life-strategies that will allow them to succeed in life. And not just succeed, but overcome the odds and become wildly successful. They chose as their model a man who had done it all – Alexander Marcus, a black man who raised himself up from poverty to become one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in America. The imprinting is effective. The children are focused, driven. They are inventive, intelligent, and love learning. But there is a mysterious darkness to them – a ruthlessness that is surprising.”
• The Best Paranormal Crime Stories Ever Told By Martin H. Greenberg (editor), Narrated By Stirling Krusing, J. M. Badger, and Erin Moon — Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
• The Moon Goddess and the Son By Donald Kingsbury, Narrated By Andrew Eiden — Length: 16 hrs
• The Poisoned Lands: Stormlands, Book 3 By John Maddox Roberts, Narrated By Michael McConnahie — Series: Stormlands, Book 3 — Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
• Prepare to Die by Paul Tobin, Narrated by Ray Chase — Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins
• Utopian Frontiers: A Story of Hope By Drew Tapley, Narrated By Drew Tapley — Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
• Kissed by Smoke: The Sunwalker Saga, Book 3 by Shéa MacLeod, Narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith — Series: Sunwalker Saga, Book 3 — Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
• He: Shey by Rabindranath Tagore, Narrated by Anuj Gurwara — Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
• Short: Return To Hell House by Nancy A. Collins, Narrated by Jamie du Pont MacKenzie — Length: 1 hr and 56 mins
• Teen: The Minstrel’s Tale: The Minstrel’s Tale Trilogy, Book 1 By Anna Questerly, Narrated By Alexander Edward Trefethen — Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

SEEN BUT NOT HEARD:

• The Complete John Thunstone by Manly Wade Wellman (Haffner Press, Dec 22)
• On a Red Station, Driftingby Aliette de Bodard (Immersion Press, Dec 24) — limited edition hardcover novella set in the universe of Xuya (home of the award-wining “The Shipmaker”, Hugo and Nebula nominated “The Jaguar House, In Shadow” and Nebula-nominated “Shipbirth”) — Read an excerpt here!
• Luck of the Draw by Piers Anthony (Tor, Dec 24)
• The Hermetic Millennia by John C. Wright (Tor, Dec 24) — sequel to Count to a Trillion
• Anthology: Latin American Science Fiction: Theory and Practice edited by M. Elizabeth Ginway and J. Andrew Brown (Palgrave Macmillan, Dec 24)
• The Shadow’s Heir (The Risen Sun) by K. J. Taylor (Ace, Dec 24)
• Witchbreaker: The Dragon Apocalypse 3 by James Maxey (Solaris, Dec 25) — after Greatshadow and Hush
• Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L. Powell (Solaris, Dec 26)

ON PRE-ORDER LISTINGS:

• Shattered Hourglass: Day by Day Armageddon, Book 3 By J. L. Bourne, Narrated By Jay Snyder — Series: Day by Day Armageddon, Book 3 — Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-26-12
• Thieftaker: Thieftaker Chronicles, Book 1 by D. B. Jackson, Narrated by Jonathan Davis — Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-27-12
• Odd Interlude: A Special Odd Thomas Adventure By Dean Koontz, Narrated By David Aaron Baker — Series: Odd Thomas — Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-27-12
• The Fairy Godmother: Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 1 By Mercedes Lackey, Narrated By Gabra Zackman — Series: Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 1 — Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-27-12
• The Queen of Zamba: Krishna, Book 1 By L. Sprague de Camp, Narrated By P. J. Ochlan — Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 12-28-12
• Scoundrels: Star Wars By Timothy Zahn, Narrated by To Be Announced — Length: 15 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 01-01-13
• Lodestar: Firestar, Book 3 By Michael Flynn, Narrated By Malcom Hillgartner — Series: Firestar, Book 2 — Length: 17 hrs and 37 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 01-01-13
• A Memory of Light By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, Narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading for Macmillan Audio — Series: Wheel of Time, Book 14 — Length: 38 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13
• Dragons of Autumn Twilight: Dragonlance: Chronicles, Book 1, Time of the Twins: Dragonlance: Legends, Book 1, War of the Twins: Dragonlance: Legends, Book 2, and Test of the Twins: Dragonlance: Legends, Book 3 By Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Narrated By Ax Norman for Audible Frontiers — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13
• Venom in Her Veins: A Forgotten Realms Novel By Tim Pratt, Narrated by T. David Rutherford — Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13 — (Along with dozens and dozens more Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms audiobooks due January 8)
• Teen: Through the Ever Night: Under the Never Sky, Book 2 By Veronica Rossi, Narrated by Michael Goldstrom — Series: Eberron: Chronicles of Abraxis Wren, Book 2 — Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 01-08-13
• Ender’s World: Fresh Perspectives on the SF Classic Ender’s Game By Orson Scott Card (editor), Narrated by To Be Announced — Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins — Scheduled Release Date: 02-05-13
• Farside By Ben Bova, Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki — Length: 10 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 02-12-13
• The Gate Thief By Orson Scott Card, Narrated by To Be Announced (though my money’s on Stefan Rudnicki) — Series: Mither Mages, Book 2 — Length: 13 hrs — Scheduled Release Date: 03-19-13

COMING SOON:

• Glass Thorns (Glass Thorns 1) by Melanie Rawn (Titan, Dec 28)
• Doktor Glass by Thomas Brennan (Ace, Dec 31)
• Ember: A Penguin Special from Roc by James K. Decker (Roc, Dec 31) — prequel novella to The Burn Zone
• Nell Gwynne’s On Land and At Sea by Kage Baker & Kathleen Bartholomew (Subterranean, Dec 31)
• The Dog in the Dark: A Novel of the Noble Dead by Barb Hendee & J.C. Hendee (Roc Hardcover, Dec 31)
• The Circle by Bentley Little (Cemetery Dance, December)